Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Enigmatic Origin
by Crystal Mizuka
Summary: After witnessing an explosive confrontation between the Sinnoh Region's legendary dragon trio a young trainer awakens to find herself transformed into a pokemon in an unfamiliar world. With new friends she sets out on a journey to find her way back home.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Although the severely warped and twisted imagination is my own, Pokemon and its characters belong to the various license holding companies that are responsible for manufacturing video games that have consumed hundreds of hours of my life in the blink of an eye. The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series produced by Chunsoft in particular is responsible for what you are about to witness.

Author's Notes: Let me assure you that I have absolutely no idea what has possessed me to begin writing this, let alone where this is going, but wherever this journey shall lead it's bound to be interesting.

* * *

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Enigmatic Origin -- Chapter 1

The sky above the Sinnoh Region's famous Mt. Coronet was dark with the shadows of ominous looking, thundering black storm clouds that would occasionally become illuminated by flashes of lightning. In fact, although it was only actually around mid-day it was as if the entire mountain range had become shrouded by some kind of artificial eclipse. And in the midst of such dreadful weather a solitary human figure was attempting to scale the now treacherous mountain.

Upon closer inspection it was a girl who looked to be in her late teens wearing a short sleeved orange hoodie vest over a navy blue tank top and a pair of blue jeans. On her feet were what appeared to be a hybrid of what looked to be a pair of hiking shoes crossed with a pair of sandals. Being wet from the rain had darkened and matted down her usually dirty blond hair that typically hung down just below her shoulders. Around her neck hanging from a stainless steel chain was a small pendant that was in the shape of a dragon. True to form, a belt sporting six visible pokeballs was around the girl's waist. This would undoubtedly mean that she was supposed to be some kind of pokemon trainer.

She gradually approached the summit of Mt. Coronet. There was a circular gap in the clouds above the Spear Pillar where it seemed as if some kind of invisible spiral vortex was causing the surrounding clouds to revolve around the mountain range. And it was within this gap in the clouds that the two familiar titans of time and space, Dialga and Palkia, were once again locked in a battle for dominance. However, the two dragons were not alone as it became apparent that the third dragon and representative of the mysterious Distortion World, Giratina, was also involved in the dispute.

"This doesn't look good," the trainer frowned at the three clashing pokemon. Her blue-green eyes were filled with both concern and an unwavering sense of determination. She didn't stop climbing the mountain. When she reached the Spear Pillar on the summit of Mt. Coronet it became apparent that a much more mysterious pokemon had taken shape between the three massive combatants. As the trainer watched the sky surrounding this new arrival became filled with numerous rays of light shooting upward into the center of the vortex before raining down in even greater numbers causing everything to explode around them. It was as if reality itself were being torn apart. By the time the trainer realized she had been caught in one of the explosions it was already too late.

The world around her went dark and then she lost consciousness.

* * *

An unsuspecting Buizel had been taking a leisurely stroll down the beach when something rather unusual caught his eye. It appeared as if a lone Cyndaquil had been washed ashore a little ways down the beach. This seemed all the more peculiar considering fire type pokemon didn't usually spend a whole lot of time by the water. Given these strange circumstances the Buizel approached the unconscious fire mouse with caution.

"Hey you," he called out when he was only a few paces away. When he didn't get and answer he became frustrated and took another step closer. "Are you alright?" When he still didn't get an answer this time the Buizel decided that it was safe to assume that whatever else was going on, this little Cyndaquil was out cold. Well, there was one way to deal with that. He stepped just a little bit closer before unleashing a Water Gun attack in the Cyndaquil's face, quickly jumping back as the fire mouse woke with a start.

"What the heck was that for?!" the Cyndaquil jumped to her feet. She nearly fell over again when the burst of flames erupted from her back. _What was that? And why do I suddenly feel so small?_ The Cyndaquil stared at the Buizel in disbelief. _Don't tell me that voice just now was him. I must be losing my mind._

"Well," the Buizel started uncertainly, "you wouldn't wake up when I called so I figured you could use some help."

_You call that helping? Hang on a second... I know that's a pokemon, but I can understand him when he talks. What in the world is going on here?_ The Cyndaquil seemed to be both confused and a little bit freaked out by all this. Of course the idea of talking pokemon wasn't entirely unheard of, but she got the distinct impression that there was something just a little bit off about her present situation. She could remember light raining down from the sky and the world rapidly dissolving around her, but then she didn't have a clue what had happened to her after that.

"Hey," the Buizel took note of the Cyndaquil's seemingly odd behavior, "are you going to be alright?"

"That's a good question," the Cyndaquil responded automatically. "Considering I'm human and not accustomed to being able to understand pokemon speech this is all kind of new to me."

"Human?" the Buizel looked at her strangely. "But you look like a perfectly ordinary Cyndaquil. Well, I guess it _is_ kind of weird that I found you here on the beach." He paused for a second and thought better of it. "So, you got a name then?"

"It's Crystal," the Cyndaquil answered absently. She stepped closer to the ocean to try and catch a glimpse of her reflection in the water. There was no mistaking the identity of the pokemon that stared back at her from her own reflection. She really had become a Cyndaquil. _I knew there were myths about humans turning into pokemon and pokemon turning into humans back when humans and pokemon first began to coexist in the world, but this is ridiculous._

"Well Crystal," the Buizel spoke up again, "I'm Taki. I'm not sure what you mean about being human, but I guess if you've got nowhere else to go I know someplace you can stay until you get things figured out."

Crystal nodded, "That's probably a good idea. So, where exactly is this place?"

"Well," Taki began to explain, "this is the Silver Bay and the place we're headed is through the Inland Forest in the caves beneath the Rainbow Mountain." He paused and added, "Of course we're going to have to pass through a Mystery Dungeon to get there."

_I guess the Silver Bay and Rainbow Mountain must correspond to Lugia and Ho-oh respectively_. At least, Crystal assumed that must be the case if the world she had found herself in was anything like the one she was accustomed to. That last part, however, was totally unfamiliar to her. "What exactly is a Mystery Dungeon?"

"You really aren't from around here, are you?" the Buizel known as Taki seemed to find this amusing. "A Mystery Dungeon is an area that is arranged differently every time you visit it. They tend to be filled with aggressive pokemon, items and in some of them you can even find treasure." At this he seemed to smirk, "Of course you've got to be tough to stand a chance in a Mystery Dungeon so I hope you won't be holding me back."

"We'll see about that!" Crystal responded indignantly as a fresh burst of flames erupted from her back. She nearly fell over again in surprise. This was definitely going to take some getting used to and she still didn't actually know which moves she would be able to use.

"Don't worry," Taki continued as he ignored Crystal's outburst, "I'll walk you through the basics when we get there."

* * *

When they crossed the threshold into the forest it became quite apparent that the terrain was unlike that of a regular forest when the whole thing apparently had walls like a hedge maze. The pokemon inhabiting the Mystery Dungeon were mostly bug and grass types which meant that once Crystal got the hang of battling she had an advantage just by being a fire type even if her best move so far seemed to be the rather basic Ember attack. Still, it was better than nothing and if she kept at it there was no doubt in her mind that she would inevitably become stronger just like any other pokemon. If she was going to be stuck as a Cyndaquil for awhile, then she might as well make the most of it.

When they arrived at a large tree in the middle of what looked to be a dead end a fairly menacing looking Beedrill flanked by a pair of equally fierce looking Kakuna blocked the path. The Buizel known as Taki assumed a fighting stance.

"It looks like they want to battle us," he sounded confident. "Let's make them regret it."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Crystal answered in agreement.

"I'll take the leader," Taki declared boldly. "You handle the rest." And with that he launched into a high speed Quick Attack easily knocking the Beedrill out of the air with the momentum of his own body.

Crystal homed in on the Kakuna that was waiting to the right and slammed into it head on with a forceful Tackle attack. She braced herself when the Kakuna retaliated with the barrage of darts of its Poison Sting attack, but fortunately she didn't suffer any serious ill effects from it and was able to exhale the barrage of tiny fireballs that comprised her Ember attack. After that the first Kakuna was down for the count.

Meanwhile Taki took evasive action as the Beedrill began jabbing at him with its stingers in a Twin Needle attack. When the attack ended and Taki was certain he was out of danger he retaliated with a spray of water from his mouth that represented his Water Gun attack. The Beedrill intercepted the spray of water with the darts of a Poison Sting attack so that they collided in midair effectively canceling each other out.

Crystal was now going after the second Kakuna. The Kakuna's shell shimmered as it used its Harden attack to raise its defense as Crystal prepared to launch into another Tackle attack. However, the attack didn't go exactly as Crystal had been planning because at the last second she became surrounded by the glow of flames before she impacted the Kakuna. She had learned the much more effective Flame Wheel attack which conveniently rendered the Kakuna down for the count despite its valiant attempt to defend itself.

Taki took this opportunity to swat aside the Beedrill with the shockwave that was produced by swinging his two tails while using his Sonic Boom attack so that he could regroup with Crystal, "Mind lending a little of that fire power over here?"

"Sure thing," Crystal nodded. Standing side-by-side they combined the tiny fireballs from Crystal's Ember attack with the barrage of shooting stars from Taki's Swift attack to deliver the finishing blow on the Beedrill.

With the opposition out of the way the two of them easily found that there was an exit just beyond the large tree in the middle of the field. They had finally reached the far side of the forest so that they were now at the foot of the Rainbow Mountain. It seemed somehow fitting that at the mountain's peak was a massive quartz crystal that acted as a prism casting the rays of the late afternoon sun along the face of the mountain in a steady rainbow of color.

* * *

"You know," the Buizel known as Taki started as the two of them started up a winding path toward where the mouth of a cave became visible in the side of the mountain, "you weren't half bad out there. If you don't mind, we could become apprentices at Garchomp's Guild to get some training so we can form our own Exploration Team. It might be a good way to gather some information about how you got here and why you're a pokemon."

Crystal shrugged, "I guess I don't really have anything else to do while I'm here." _I suppose I might as well do something productive if I'm going to be stuck here for awhile._ Then she nodded, "Sure. Why not?"

"Great," Taki practically beamed with enthusiasm. "Let's get started right away!"

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Although the severely warped and twisted imagination is my own, Pokemon and its characters belong to Satoshi Tajiri and the various license holding companies that are responsible for manufacturing video games that have consumed hundreds of hours of my life in the blink of an eye. The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series produced by Chunsoft in particular is responsible for what you are about to witness.

* * *

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Enigmatic Origin -- Chapter 2

It became apparent upon entering the mouth of the cave that would lead them into the tunnels beneath the Rainbow Mountain that the enormous quartz gem at its peak had veins running all through the mountain. Sunlight filtered through these crystalline structures where they protruded from the cavern walls casting an eerie prismatic glow throughout the interior of the mountain. It was truly a sight to behold.

Despite having become a thoroughly out of place human girl trapped in the body of a Cyndaquil, Crystal was quite impressed by what she was seeing. The tunnel walls were lined with torches that would most likely be put to use for illumination once the sun had set and a new light source became necessary. From the looks of it the guild that Taki, the aggressive and somewhat arrogant Buizel that had found her on the beach, had brought her to must have been fairly well organized.

"You again?" A Larvitar emerged to block further entry into the network of tunnels beneath the mountain. "I thought Garchomp threw you out this morning."

Taki simply smirked, "It's nice to know you guys still remember me even if you've neglected to let me join you."

"That's because you aren't a team player," the Larvitar was joined by a rather imposing looking Houndour.

The Larvitar nodded, "Garchomp doesn't want to see you again so you might as well leave."

"My situation has changed since this morning," Taki stated defiantly. He raised a paw to indicate the Cyndaquil standing a short distance behind him. "I finally found someone worthy of being my partner."

"Wait," the Larvitar paused in surprise. "Is that a Cyndaquil?" He hurried closer to investigate. "This is the first time I've ever seen a real one. I didn't think we had any around here."

"Uh yeah," Crystal started hesitantly. "About that... I'm kind of new around here."

"So as you can see," Taki continued, "we've come here to meet with Garchomp. I think he might be interested in hearing us out about joining the guild."

The Houndour snorted indignantly, "It sounds to me like you're just using your new friend to get on the boss's good side."

"Actually," Crystal spoke up again, "I was hoping to meet Garchomp anyway to see if he might be able to help me."

"Does my nose deceive me or do I smell a newcomer among us?" Something to remember about Garchomp is that they tend to be kind of big. This was something Crystal knew from being a pokemon trainer, but looking up at this Garchomp as a little tiny Cyndaquil just made him look a heck of a lot bigger just by sheer contrast. He had an equally large voice that was accentuated by a low growl. It was no wonder Crystal had fallen over again. This didn't go unnoticed by Garchomp. "Well now, isn't this a pleasant surprise." He smiled through a mouth full of jagged looking fangs. "It's been ages since I last saw a Cyndaquil in these parts. What brings you to my guild?"

* * *

Once they had gotten the introductions out of the way Garchomp had invited them down to his office for a private meeting so they could discuss the situation without drawing so much attention to themselves. There was bound to be plenty of gossip floating around the guild without having to encourage it. Crystal and Taki followed the large dragon down a ladder to a lower level of tunnels beneath the already surprisingly spacious upper level of the cavern.

The lower level was divided down the middle by a river that seemed to have no problem with flowing beneath the mountain. A number of sturdy stone bridges served as the only means of crossing unless you happened to be a water pokemon adept at swimming through rough currents. A lone Kingdra was the river's only visible inhabitant.

They reached the opposite bank of the river where Garchomp made his way over to a large doorway pushing through a leather curtain to get to the other side. The interior of his office was sparsely decorated apart from the straw nests that most likely served as a place to sleep judging by the fact that a Ditto appeared to be napping in one of them.

"Now then," Garchomp finally spoke again, "the rest of my guild won't bother us here so we may speak freely."

"Does this mean you aren't going to throw me out again?" Taki had become a little tense when faced with Garchomp himself.

Garchomp shrugged, "We've had our differences in the past, but right now I'm much more curious about your new friend."

"Is my being here really that big a deal?" Crystal was still confused by the way the pokemon in the guild had responded to the fact that she was a Cyndaquil. Taki had merely been concerned when he found her unconscious at the beach. He hadn't been all that surprised by the fact that she was a Cyndaquil and he had more or less shrugged off the fact that she claimed to be a human being. Clearly there was much more to what was going on here than she thought.

"Well now," Garchomp reached up and scratched his chin, "that depends on what you have to say. It's true that we don't get many Cyndaquil around here, but that in itself isn't really a big deal. It's how you got here that I'm more concerned about."

Taki turned to Crystal, "I guess that means you'd better tell him what you told me at the beach."

Crystal nodded and redirected her attention to Garchomp, "I woke up this afternoon on the beach as a Cyndaquil, but before that I was a human being. I don't know how I got here or why I've suddenly been transformed into a pokemon."

"Very interesting," Garchomp's golden eyes glinted in the dim light of the cave. "Do you remember anything from before you woke up on the beach?"

"Let me think," Crystal started slowly. "There was a storm. Dialga, Palkia and Giratina were locked in a huge battle. I went up the mountain to investigate what was making them fight like that and then there was another pokemon I had never seen before. I'm not sure what it was, but the attack it used swallowed the entire battlefield. I think I must have gotten caught up in the explosion because I don't remember anything after that."

Garchomp's eyes widened, "That's quite a story. How can you be sure it wasn't a dream?"

"Because I definitely remember being human before all that," Crystal stated firmly.

"If you say so," Garchomp closed his eyes in thought. "Still, there are very few pokemon that could even hope to compete with just one of those legendary dragons. A pokemon capable of overcoming all three is almost unheard of."

"Almost?" Taki decided to rejoin the conversation. "You mean a pokemon like that actually exists?"

"Just one," Garchomp responded taking on a more serious tone. "Even then it's a long shot because there's no physical evidence to support that it actually exists."

"And just what pokemon would that be?" Crystal had to ask.

"The pokemon you saw," Garchomp made a dramatic pause for emphasis, "might have been Arceus."

The name sounded familiar. Perhaps it was something she had read somewhere. Still, she definitely couldn't match a face to the name so there was probably some potential there. _Although, I guess it's going to be kind of hard to ask Arceus to send me home when no one is even sure if such a pokemon actually exists. And that's assuming it really was Arceus that disrupted the battle between Dialga, Palkia and Giratina. It looks like I'm going to be stuck here a lot longer than I thought._

"That definitely complicates things," Crystal finally found her voice again.

"In the meantime you're welcome to stay at the guild as long as you like," Garchomp tried to sound hospitable.

"Really?" It came as a relief to Crystal that at least she wouldn't have to worry about finding a place to stay. "Thanks, I really appreciate it."

Taki peered up at Garchomp, "I'm staying too."

Garchomp met the Buizel's gaze, "Since you're the one that found her I suppose it stands to reason that you should stay with her while she's here. The kid is going to need all the help she can get." He returned his attention to Crystal, "Of course you'll both have to earn your keep."

"How exactly are we supposed to do that?" Crystal was beginning to sound a little worried now.

"Just do your part to help the rest of us," Garchomp stated simply. "There's plenty of work to be done and it's important that we all work together so it shouldn't be too difficult for you to find something you're good at." He paused and added, "Actually, come to think of it, since you're a fire type you should be able to help Houndour light the torches. The sun is already starting to set so you can get started right away. And while you're at it Houndour can show you around."

Crystal nodded appreciatively, "That sounds simple enough."

"I guess that means I'll just help extinguish the torches in the morning," Taki determined for himself.

* * *

When they left Garchomp's office there was a Shinx waiting for them outside the doorway. The electric pokemon's fur was glowing faintly making it stand out more prominently in the dimly illuminated passage.

"I'm supposed to show you guys to your room," the Shinx explained helpfully in a young boyish voice.

Crystal nodded, "Thanks. That would be great."

She and Taki followed after the Shinx as he began bounding back across the river. Apparently where they were going involved going back up the ladder to the upper level of the cavern. From there they went deeper into the mountain until the Shinx finally stopped outside a chamber at the end of the main passageway that was empty except for a pair of straw nests that would undoubtedly serve as beds.

"It's kind of small for my taste," Taki commented on the modest little chamber, "but I suppose it will do."

"Whatever," the Shinx hastily bounded away. Clearly he must have had better things to do than to stay and chat.

"I guess that means I'd better go find Houndour so I can get to work and maybe learn my way around," Crystal concluded that it was probably going to be a long night.

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Although the severely warped and twisted imagination is my own, Pokemon and its characters belong to Satoshi Tajiri and the various license holding companies that are responsible for manufacturing video games that have consumed hundreds of hours of my life in the blink of an eye. The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series produced by Chunsoft in particular is responsible for what you are about to witness.

Author's Notes: It would seem that I've finally managed to figure out where I'm going with this. With that in mind, things are about to become a lot more complicated.

* * *

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Enigmatic Origin -- Chapter 3

Morning came without further incident. It was impossible to determine exactly what time it was when Crystal woke up, but it seemed like it must have been early. Much to her dismay the events of the previous day apparently weren't just some kind of crazy dream and she was still stuck in the body of a Cyndaquil. This probably would have upset her more if not for the fact that she was at least able to determine from this that she probably wasn't dead although she still couldn't completely rule out the possibility that she might be in some kind of coma. Then again, if this were all just some kind of crazy dream it would have become extremely lucid once she made that assumption and yet she remained unable to change the situation she had been presented with the previous afternoon.

Alright, so she wasn't dead and she wasn't dreaming. The only other likely possibility seemed to be that she had inadvertently been cast off into another universe. Considering that Dialga was the regarded as the embodiment of time and that Palkia was regarded as the embodiment of space this new conclusion didn't seem entirely out of place. And then there was Giratina, a being living in a world on the opposite side of conventional reality. Assuming the pokemon that had interfered in the battle was in fact Arceus, then it seemed likely that the combined destructive potential produced during the confrontation might have caused a tear in the fabric of reality that acted as a portal to another universe. When Crystal got caught in the explosion, then she must have been pulled through the portal and arrived in this strange new world having been transformed into the form she might have had if she had been born in such a world.

_It figures I'd be a fire type._ At the very least she could appreciate the irony. _I guess this is kind of like that time when me and Shiro got lost in the wrong century for a month because we somehow managed to get caught in Celebi's time travel. At least we made it back to our own era without too much trouble._

Of course this situation was a little different. Traveling through time with Celebi seemed to happen to people all the time and Celebi was always happy to take someone back to their proper time period if they asked nicely. In this case, if Arceus was somehow connected to her arrival in this strange new world, then it was likely that finding a way back was going to prove to be extremely difficult. This was especially true considering that the pokemon she had met so far weren't even positive about whether or not such a pokemon actually exists. Crystal would need to find out what she could about Arceus and determine whether or not the description matched what she had seen.

The most obvious course of action would be to consult with other legendary pokemon. She would just have to hope that they were somewhat better informed than the pokemon residing at the guild. Since the landmarks she had encountered so far seemed to be loosely connected to the mythology of the Johto region that probably meant there was a chance of finding Ho-oh or Lugia and she wouldn't be surprised to find Entei, Raikou or Suicune roaming about either.

Of course before Crystal could hope to pursue information from any of them she would need to spend some time getting accustomed to her new body. If she intended to go wandering around this strange new world, then she would have become strong enough to defend herself. It was bound to take some getting used to.

Taki didn't seem like the intellectual type so the direction Crystal's thoughts had taken that morning would most likely have gone well over his head. It would probably be best to just keep them to herself for the time being.

* * *

While Taki was busy extinguishing some of the torches from the night before Crystal took the opportunity to familiarize herself with navigating around the complex network of tunnels housing the guild. It probably wasn't nearly as difficult as she made it seem, but then she wasn't really proud of her sense of direction either. She was, however, quickly able to determine that the entrance to the tunnel system was uphill and that meant that no matter how lost she felt she should at least be able to find her way back to the surface if nowhere else.

While she was exploring she discovered a room off to one side of the main tunnel that had a pair of bulletin boards mounted on the far wall. The Shinx from the night before was in one corner chattering amiably with a Rattata and a Taillow. Crystal was about to go over and greet them when a pinkish purple amorphous blob that was probably the Ditto that had been taking a nap in Garchomp's office the night before seemed to slither up next to her. At least, slithering was probably the best way to describe the way in which the Ditto was able to move without having any defined legs or feet to stand on.

"So," the Ditto seemed to scrutinize the girl-turned-Cyndaquil with its beady little eyes for several long seconds before finally making some kind of judgment about her. "You must be the new kid I've been hearing about. I'm guessing you still need someone to show you the ropes about how we operate around here."

Taki hadn't really mentioned what would be required of them once they became part of Garchomp's guild. And Crystal still didn't know what Taki had meant when he had suggested they form an Exploration Team. It was a reminder of just how much of a stranger she was to this world. If asking about these things just made her look foolish because it was supposed to be obvious, then she was probably going to be in for some embarrassment, but it would be better than remaining ignorant. Given the circumstances honestly was probably the best way to go.

"I came here because Taki suggested I should team up with him as an apprentice so that we can form an Exploration Team, but I'm not really sure how any of that works." If not for the trace amounts of hesitation before Crystal started speaking it was entirely possible that her excessively laid back attitude might have masked just how clueless she really was. Of course she knew quite well that panicking never solved any of her problems.

"Well you should forget about the business of becoming an Exploration Team for the time being," the Ditto actually sounded fairly sympathetic. "You've both got to prove yourselves as functional members of this guild before you even think about trying to set out on your own as an Exploration Team. Being an apprentice might be difficult, but it will help to prepare you for what's out there."

Taki finally managed to catch up with them. It was clear from his expression that he was already becoming impatient with remaining underground.

"What's going on here?" the Buizel rudely interrupted the previous conversation.

"I was just about to tell your new friend about the bulletin boards," the Ditto rounded on Taki. "That is, unless you think you can do a better job of it."

Taki snorted, "That's easy. The one on the left displays what are called rescue missions. They range from simple things like delivering an item to a pokemon in a mystery dungeon to transporting a lost or injured pokemon away from one. Sometimes they involve being a bodyguard for a pokemon who wants to visit a mystery dungeon they aren't strong enough to explore on their own. Missions are ranked according to their difficulty which also determines the reward for completion." He pointed at each of the bulletin boards in turn. "The one on the right displays bounty hunting missions. Basically, there are some bad pokemon out there making trouble that need to be taken down. Sometimes they have items that were stolen from other pokemon that need to be returned to their original owners, but for the most part it's about showing them whose boss."

"I take it you prefer those sorts of missions," Crystal noted judging from the Buizel's obvious enthusiasm.

Taki smirked, "It gives me an opportunity to demonstrate my real strength."

"Anyway," the Ditto slimed its way back into the conversation, "you have to decide for yourself which sort of missions are more to your liking. Of course there are some things you'll need before you get started, but that's Garchomp's department so you'll have to see him about the rest."

The little blob was already headed for the ladder to the lower level of the tunnel.

* * *

When they arrived in the chamber that served as Garchomp's office there was a small golden treasure chest in the middle of the room. The radiance of the chest seemed to signify the importance of its contents without it even being opened. No doubt whatever was inside was going to be pretty special. Garchomp stood behind it with his gaze fixed on the Cyndaquil who went by the name of Crystal.

"Go ahead and open it," he tried to sound encouraging behind his fangy grin.

Crystal stepped forward and tugged on the lid of the treasure chest. It popped open with a quiet clicking sound. Inside were a pair of leather satchels as well as a couple of winged egg-shaped objects that were half gold and half silver in color. She didn't know for the life of her what they were. Nevertheless they were probably supposed to be important.

"Always keep your Exploration Badges with you," Garchomp used a surprisingly serious tone. "They have the capability to transport you and any of your clients or team members back to the guild instantaneously. This is an invaluable asset for any explorer."

Crystal nodded dumbly. She certainly hadn't expected to encounter anything so mind bogglingly useful so soon, but now Taki's insistence on becoming an apprentice with the guild made a lot more sense.

Garchomp assumed a more subdued tone of voice, "The rest of the Exploration Kit is pretty self explanatory. Those Treasure Bags will allow you to carry any items you may find. For longer missions remember to stock up on plenty of food and Oran Berries to recover your strength when the going gets tough. That's all I have to say to you. Everything else you need to know is best learned through experience."

* * *

With their new accessories in tow Crystal and Taki made their way to the chamber that served as the mess hall. There was no sense in setting out for their first official mission before stopping off for breakfast.

"So," Taki decided to be tactful for a change by actually consulting with his Cyndaquil companion about what they were about to be getting into. "Do you think you're ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Crystal answered automatically. She wouldn't know unless she tried and she knew she wouldn't have any chance at all of finding her way home unless she was able to make this new lifestyle work for her so there really wasn't much of a choice in the matter.

"Don't worry," Taki tried to sound encouraging. "We'll start with something easy. It'll be fun."

**To Be Continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Although the severely warped and twisted imagination is my own, Pokemon and its characters belong to Satoshi Tajiri and the various license holding companies that are responsible for manufacturing video games that have consumed hundreds of hours of my life in the blink of an eye. The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series produced by Chunsoft in particular is responsible for what you are about to witness.

* * *

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Enigmatic Origin - Chapter 4

The mission that Taki had picked out for them sounded simple enough. Their client, an Umbreon, had misplaced an item of some importance to them, although Crystal really wasn't sure what use an Umbreon would have for a jar of nacho cheese, and wanted someone to go into the dungeon to find it and would be waiting on the bottom floor of the dungeon for the item to be delivered to them. The dungeon in question, labeled as Magnet Swamp, had a swampy landscape with metallic towers covered in numerous different sized magnets protruding from the terrain in various places. The atmosphere was warm and muggy, a factor that Crystal quickly realized would probably hinder the effectiveness of her fire type attacks. This proved to be somewhat problematic when many of the pokemon in the dungeon would have ordinarily been much more vulnerable to fire.

The going was painstakingly slow as the Cyndaquil and Buizel had to carefully inspect every room on every floor of the dungeon in search of the missing item while fighting off any pokemon that got in their way. In the beginning this wasn't so difficult since they mostly encountered Tangelas, Grimers and Gulpins with the occasional Carnivine, Magnemite or Magneton to contend with. Fortunately, Crystal and Taki were able to keep their energy up by snacking on the apples and oran berries that they found along the way. However, things did become more difficult once they traveled deeper into the dungeon.

The Magnemites and Magnetons became more common. Tangrowths, Muks and Swalots began to appear in place of their un-evolved counterparts. Carnivines remained reasonably scarce, but there was also the occasional Magnezone to worry about. The journey alone was beginning to take its toll on the two explorers and they still hadn't managed to find the missing item they were supposed to be searching for. This continued until they finally reached the end of the dungeon.

* * *

Sure enough, the Umbreon was there waiting accompanied by a fearsome looking Luxray. By then, Crystal and Taki were already pretty exhausted so they really weren't prepared for what happened next.

"So you're the thieves who stole my nacho cheese," the Umbreon accused them haughtily. It sounded distinctly feminine. "I knew you would return to the scene of the crime!"

Crystal and Taki exchanged mutually puzzled glances at each other.

"We're not thieves," Crystal started defensively.

Taki was more obstinate about it, "We're the exploration team that came here to find it for you!" The Buizel shook a fist at the Umbreon for emphasis. This proved to be a mistake.

Electricity rippled from the Luxray's fangs and struck the ground at Taki's feet. The Buizel quickly took a step back.

"Wait," Crystal tried to mediate the situation. "We didn't come here for a fight!"

The Umbreon wasn't listening. "That's right Luxray, you punish those thieves. We can take my nacho cheese back from them once they're unconscious!"

Taki glanced at Crystal, "I don't think they're giving us a choice."

Crystal nodded. Taki was at an obvious disadvantage against such a strong electric type. That meant that Crystal was going to have to pick up the slack if they wanted to make it out of this in one piece. She had already learned from dealing with all those Magnemites, Magnetons and Magnezones that getting hit by electric attacks seriously hurt.

"We should hit them hard," Taki advised. "Let's use that new combination we learned while we were exploring the dungeon."

Crystal knew exactly what Taki was thinking of. During their progress through the dungeon they had both ended up learning to use Swift. It was even more effective when they both used it together. The Cyndaquil and the Buizel both unleashed their own steady beams of shooting stars on the Luxray simultaneously. Unfortunately, the Luxray shrugged it off like he barely even felt it. In the next instant Crystal and Taki collapsed as electricity coursed through both their bodies from a perfectly executed Discharge attack.

Crystal managed to get back on her feet to see Taki struggling to do the same. That electric weakness was really giving him a hard time. If this kept up, Crystal would end up having to fight by herself. She decided to buy Taki some time by using her Smokescreen attack to exhale a shroud of black smoke to keep the Luxray occupied for a little while. While Taki used this time to gobble down an oran berry to restore some of his vitality, Crystal pelted the Luxray with another Swift attack. If they were lucky, that would divert the Luxray's attention to her to give Taki enough time to recover a little.

It seemed to work because once the Luxray managed to make his way out of the Smokescreen he came at Crystal with his fangs bared ready to crush her with a Crunch attack. Fortunately, Crystal was small and agile to get around it by leaping into the air and slamming into the Luxray's back with a Quick Attack. Meanwhile, Taki was back on his feet and managed to propel a blade of wind off his twin tails to smack the Luxray in the side with a Sonicboom attack.

However, just as it seemed like they were starting to turn things around, both Crystal and Taki felt themselves being electrocuted by the Luxray's powerful Discharge attack again. Crystal fought to remain conscious. Her body ached all over. As a pokemon trainer, it made her wonder how even after sustaining substantial damage her own pokemon could still manage to get back up to continue the battle. However, right now she wasn't a trainer. She was a Cyndaquil. As much as being struck by that attack had hurt her, for Taki it must have been even more agonizing. He still needed her help.

Crystal forced herself back onto her feet. The flames on her back exploded to life. By now her vitality must have been pretty low which meant it would have activated her Blaze ability raising the power of her fire type moves. She could see that the Luxray had Taki pinned under his front paw as if he had already won.

"Taki," Crystal shouted in a commanding tone that the Buizel hadn't previously heard from her. "Don't move." For once, Taki did as he was told.

A red-orange fiery glow surrounded Crystal's body. She rushed forward and rammed the Luxray with as much strength as she could manage using her Flame Wheel attack in a last ditch effort to deal some damage. She succeeded at shoving the larger pokemon away from Taki. However, the fatigue from the day's journey and the damage her small body had sustained from being electrocuted during the battle was quickly adding up which was readily apparent from Crystal's heavy breathing.

"Finish them off," she heard the Umbreon declare. The Umbreon, who had stepped back to allow the Luxray room to do the fighting, clearly had no sympathy for them. The Luxray got back on his feet to carry out the request having already recovered from Crystal's power boosted Flame Wheel attack.

Crystal braced herself. She knew instinctively that her body couldn't withstand another Discharge attack. Another part of her knew that Taki was fighting his hardest just to remain conscious even though he could barely move. They really would be finished if they took another hit like that.

"**Enough**," came a booming voice. The voice was like thunder, if thunder could form words. Crystal's vision was starting to get blurry, but she could recognize the silhouette of Raikou, the legendary beast of thunder, standing between her and the Luxray whose attack had yet to come. Did that mean that Raikou had come to save them?

"What's the big idea getting in the middle of our fight?" the Umbreon sounded indignant.

"**This is a misunderstanding**," Raikou's voice boomed again. He raised a forepaw to point behind the unreasonable dark type pokemon. "**The item you seek was never stolen**."

The Umbreon was hesitant, but she still looked to where Raikou had indicated. A Plusle was scurrying along behind a Minun that was carrying a glass jar marked with the face of a Miltank labeled with the words "nacho cheese" filled with the gooey yellow liquid cheese that had presumably gone missing. Recognition seemed to dawn on the Umbreon as she seemed to be familiar with the two small, electric type pokemon.

"Oh," she murmured in embarrassment. "So that's what happened."

The flames on Crystal's back extinguished themselves as the Cyndaquil finally collapsed from exhaustion. The Luxray looked to the Umbreon for further instructions.

"I think they've had enough," the Umbreon finally decided. "Don't you?"

The Luxray shrugged, but agreed to stand down. The Minun set the jar of nacho cheese down in front of the Umbreon. She considered the Minun and the Plusle for a moment until she thought of something.

"Why don't you little troublemakers go fetch some oran berries for our guests?" the Umbreon instructed them. They quickly scurried off to find some. The Umbreon ventured over and gently prodded the Cyndaquil with the tip of her nose, "Don't worry. Help is coming."

"**My work here is done**," Raikou announced as he fled the scene.

* * *

The Plusle and Minun eventually returned with a generous supply of oran berries. The Umbreon instructed them to feed the berries to the Cyndaquil and the Buizel since they were clearly too far-gone to feed themselves at the moment. The Umbreon was satisfied when the two small pokemon finally started to come around.

"You feeling better?" she asked hopefully. Her attitude toward them had changed completely.

Crystal tried to find her voice. She finally managed to mumble, "Just tired..."

"I'm alright," Taki was fairing better. He'd been knocked out faster so he hadn't pushed himself nearly as hard. Crystal's injuries hadn't been nearly as bad as her physical exhaustion.

The Umbreon observed the Cyndaquil appreciatively, "She's a strong little squish isn't she?"

"You wouldn't know it just by looking at her though," Taki had to agree. In the two days he had traveled with the Cyndaquil he had been surprised by the way it seemed like she always had something up her sleeve to turn the tide of a battle. She didn't necessarily carry herself like a fighter, but she definitely had the innate skills to be a great one.

The Umbreon pawed around in a satchel that hung around her neck, something the Buizel and his companion hadn't taken the time to notice when they had encountered her, and eventually succeeded at removing what looked like a pair of goggles. Then, with the extraordinary effort of one lacking both hands and opposable thumbs, the Umbreon slid the goggles around the Cyndaquil's neck. Crystal was already out cold again.

"I get the feeling that both of you still have a long journey ahead of you," the Umbreon mused. "You should probably take her back to the guild for a good rest."

**To Be Continued...**

**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Good grief, it sure took me long enough to actually get around to writing this chapter. Hopefully the next one won't take so long.**  
**


End file.
